Page 222 - Michael Frost-Voyages to Maturity-23531.indd

and Naples escapades) one could really botch up.

We soon arrived in Penang, again an anchorage rather than a berth, and
Stevie, unbeknownst to me, invited Judith ashore for a carefully planned
afternoon. He arranged for a motor-bike and had decided to take her to a
secluded beach on the other side of the island. As the afternoon wore on and
they had not returned, I began to get concerned but not nearly as concerned as
her father. As officer of the watch I was looking after the gangway and preparing
for our departure, only a half-hour or so away, but he was pacing up and down
in a state of mild excitement. (He was by no means an excitable man, but,
obviously, he could get exercised if he lost a daughter in the wilds of the Malay
jungle; he was getting quite heated!)

Fortunately, the two arrived in the nick of time in what I believe was supposed
to be the day’s last launch. She seemed unconcerned, but Stevie explained that
they had been swimming on the far side of the island, the bike broke down, and
realising that the ship was about to sail, sped back (the ship would not have
sailed without them, but of that they could not be sure). However, I told Stevie
that one just doesn’t swim in the Straits because of sea-snakes and jelly-fish; he
was accustomed only to safe old Australia, where one had only to worry about
sharks and crocodiles.

Nonetheless, I had actually become a bit better acquainted with the family
at a lunch. As I had been invited to join them, I asked my steward to ensure that
my best white uniform was pressed and ready for use, and I sallied forth with
the intention of carrying out the research that I had by now found essential; see
from the mother how the daughter would turn out. And I had enjoyed the lunch
… for the most part. Mr Shepherd was physically very like (Waveney) Susan’s
father but had far more friendly a manner and from what I saw, treated his wife
in much the same way as my parents regarded each other. All went well, and then
I ordered dessert – bilberries and cream, as neutral a selection as was available.
But as I reached over the table, my sleeve caught my bowl and tipped the whole
thing down my front (bilberries are a smaller version of blueberries, but, as one
might guess, had far more potent a colouring; even a few would markedly stain
the teeth. This was, therefore, remarkably inappropriate a choice of dessert,
but I learned the lesson!). As for the mise-en-scene, I felt encouraged, for all
the women, mother and daughters, had no compunction about expressing their
views, especially, as I expected, Judith. This I liked.

We edged our way down the coast to Singapore. Although I had traversed
the passage between two islands that constituted Keppel Harbour a number of
times, I had never been officer of the watch when we were berthing. When our
pilot came aboard, he, a notably short man with very poor English, seemed to
favour the fast passage to the berth, which was frankly difficult to approach. As

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